MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia garnered a point guard commitment for 2015 on Wednesday when three-star prospect James “Beetle” Bolden of Covington, Ky., chose the Mountaineers over offers from Xavier, Butler, Purdue and Ohio.

The 6-foot Bolden, who compiled 20.8 points and 3.4 assists per game while earning all-state honors as a junior at Holmes High, said he plans to make it official with West Virginia during the November early signing period. He joins 6-10 center Levi Cook of Huntington Prep as pledges for the 2015 class, which likely could accommodate at least two more players.

Kentucky.com photo

James “Beetle” Bolden, a two-time all-state point guard at Holmes (Ky.) High, committed to West Virginia for 2015.

“It’s actually a great opportunity for me to play for a legendary coach like Coach Huggins,” Bolden told MetroNews “Sportsline” on Wednesday night. “He’ll push me through everything.”

With Juwan Staten and Gary Browne entering their senior seasons, West Virginia needed to replenish the point guard position. As the roster is currently constituted, recent junior college addition Tarik Phillip—who has three seasons of eligibility remaining—would be the only pure point guard in the program when Bolden enrolls.

Xavier reportedly offered Bolden a scholarship as a sophomore and Butler was widely viewed as the leader to land Bolden. But the player told WVSports.com that West Virginia “felt like I was home.” Bolden also cited a close recruiting relationship established with Mountaineers assistant coach Erik Martin.

“Erik Martin did an excellent job here building a relationship and sticking with it,” said Rivals writer Keenan Cummings. “Bolden also really liked the fact that the offense West Virginia plays will allow him to do things with the ball screens and the picking and popping. Coach Huggins also played a central role because Bolden really wanted to play for him.”

With Bolden at the helm, Holmes High reached the Kentucky elite eight in 2013, and posted a 69-8 record the past two seasons, losing to the eventual state champion each time.

“Like (2014 signees) Daxter Miles and Jevon Carter, he can be a scoring point guard, but Bolden is more natural at the position and has been playing it for most of his life,” Cummings said. “He has been recruited to put the ball on his hands and make things happen.”

View Bolden’s “Sportsline” interview at the top of the page to learn more about what drew him to West Virginia and the origin of his curious nickname.

Allan Taylor

Allan Taylor joined MetroNews in August 2012, following 18 years of newspaper, magazine and multimedia work as an SEC columnist, sports editor, assistant sports editor, managing editor, news reporter and media consultant.

57

Comments

TruthTeller

It will not matter what happens. The richy rich controllers of the Big 12 will not allow WVU to win anything. As soon as WVU start to excel some one makes a phone call to OL and boom WVU start losing again. Since true journalism does not exist anymore because exposing the truth is not hip or trendy anymore we may never get to the bottom of all of this. The recruits are leaving because they don't like being told that they have to lose when they want to be part of a winning team. Its right there in front of your noses what is going on but you TV zombies can not see it. Keep drinking the kool-aid zombies.

May 21, 2014 at 9:06 pm |

DIASPORA

Why can we just enjoy the fact that we have a commitment from a KENTUCKY All State high school point guard? That fact alone is huge, regardless of what other schools showed interest. High school basketball is huge in Kentucky.

May 17, 2014 at 2:32 pm |

DIASPORA

Did you happen to see the crowd in the stands in that picture? Probably playoffs at Rupp, it it brings them out in KY.

May 17, 2014 at 2:33 pm |

VaultHunter

How did Huggins land such a high rated blue chip caliber player without new bathrooms and new suites in the nasty broken run down dump of a basketball arena he calls home?

Stay classy Bobby. One thing I will give you credit for you don't change your story on why the basketball program is in shambles, its not your fault.

May 16, 2014 at 5:12 pm |

Alex

I wish some of you would listen to the interview, by Tony and Coach Hunter with Bolden Wednesday night and hid coach Thursday night, you will get a lot of answers to some stupid remarks that is made..... Bolden could be a 4 star player by the time he gets to WVU ..... I would rather have him on my team than have to playing against him......

May 16, 2014 at 4:11 pm |

VaultHunter

Sad part is a up and coming coach who started out strong but has struggled recently and who recruits 20-25 kids a year is out recruiting a Hall of Fame coach who only recruits 2-4 kids a year. You would think Huggins could land one blue chip type recruit Dana seems to be able to do this despite having a Hall of Fame coaching resume. He gets blue chips to transfer in Huggs gets 3 star starters to transfer out.

The football program is trending up basketball trending down. The facts are in the recruiting and no rose colored head in the sand Final Four commemorative super straw slupers can spin it otherwise.

Good Luck.

May 16, 2014 at 8:17 am |

WVcoal

Good catch for WVU. Keep up the good work Bobby. Welcome to Mountaineer Nation, Beetle!

May 16, 2014 at 8:08 am |

VaultHunter

Welcome aboard.

Please stay.

May 16, 2014 at 8:08 am |

pghmountaineer

Thiskid seems like he'll be a good addition.

May 15, 2014 at 8:21 pm |

Aaron

In reviewing former WV recruiting, Coach John Beilein never brought in a 4 star recruit during his time at WV. Coach Gale Catlett, who did an outstanding job over 24 seasons at WVU with less than many, was not a recruiting machine. While he had solid players in the likes of Greg Jones, Lester Rowe, Tim Kearney, Lowes Moore, and Dale Blaney, no one was choosing WV over the likes of Duke, NC, Indiana or Georgetown.

As to Huggins, the numbers are what they are. In 7 years at WVU, he has brought on (depending on who you subscribe to) 7-9 4-star recruits and one 5-star recruit. If that's poor recruiting for WVU, I would love to see good recruiting.

Of course, when you have base your comments of deep seated jealousy and hatred over simple facts, you have to fabricate whatever story you can.

May 15, 2014 at 5:03 pm |

Todd

Just out of curiosity, where do you buy your rose colored glassed at?

May 15, 2014 at 11:48 pm |

Aaron

Joe Friday's store of facts. Feel free to dispute anything I've said. Or are you like the rest of the Hugg-haters in that all you have are off the cuff remarks.

May 16, 2014 at 6:38 am |

Robin

How many have stayed more than one year, more than two?

May 16, 2014 at 10:36 am |

Aaron

Clearly not enough

May 16, 2014 at 6:37 pm |

Omg

Would you list the four star recruits by name and year please?

May 16, 2014 at 9:36 am |

Aaron

As soon as you list Catlett's under your other moniker.

Otherwise, might I suggest google.

May 16, 2014 at 6:37 pm |

mad hatter

higgins is doing his best to divert that attention away from his poor coaching and recruiting, and again say, it's the facilities not my my coaching,,, i thought we were going to have a great step up with the practice facility, never happened, recruiting is the same as the catlett era, and the performance the last three yrs, has been about the same
Please eer fans , see thru this smoke screen, the higgins era is over, the once hof coach is a mere shell of what he used to be...
what we need to change the direction and upgrade our program is a new head bb coach,,, we will be throwing good money at bad payback if we continue to believe higgins.

May 15, 2014 at 2:30 pm |

Aaron

Please provide a list of names of the 4 and 5 star recruits of Coach Gale Catlett.

Pony up Larry, if you can.

May 15, 2014 at 4:48 pm |

FNP

I just hope the kid isnt soft like the last two who left. If you cant take criticism and battle through adversity then you'll never make it in this world.

Does Huggs yell? Sure he does and so does 100 % of all coaches in basketball. Does he demand respect? Not only does he demand it for himself but for the state and school.

Everybody who posts about his attitude and vulgarity, probably havent been around him outside of basketball. He's a great guy who loves this state and school. I guarantee there's a large majority of the people on here that havent seen the state and school. Its easy to judge somebody from what they see on TV.

May 15, 2014 at 9:47 am |

Shadow

I have always felt that young men might not like it but accept critical comments when they know that the comment was made to make them better and smarter. Particularly when they have been told the point before or should have figured it out for themselves from other actions. Most of what we learn is from our mistakes.

May 15, 2014 at 3:46 pm |

Aaron

I would agree with that statement, which may be part of the reason both Harris and Henderson are leaving. Most young kids coming out of high school heading to a major division 1 program like WVU have misguided aspirations of NBA glory. Those notions are generally dispelled upon embarking on there NCAA career.

JuWan Staten could have inadvertently played a role in that as hard as he worked last yea and the season he had, he was still not projected to go in the 1st two rounds of the draft. Neither Harris nor Henderson put in the work or were considered the players Staten was and more than likely, they knew it.

As such, why stick around a cantankerous old man when the reality is, that no matter how much they worked, they aren't going to become NBA players. Why not go someplace that does not require defense as part of the game plan, enjoy their last two years with an added year of downtime for classes and a whole lot less yelling. Who can blame them.

May 16, 2014 at 6:51 am |

Ole Sasquatch

Hear, Hear

May 15, 2014 at 10:24 am |

jay zoom

must be highly talented if Ohio University went after him. but well see what talent this kid has if he actually signs. looks to me like Huggins is beginning to grasp for straws. THANKS OLLIE

May 15, 2014 at 9:22 am |

Aaron

In addition to Ohio, Purdue, Xavier, and Butler each offered with Louisville, Cincinnati, Clemson, Oklahoma State, and Florida State each showing interest.

He's higher rated than Eron Harris and the vast majority of John Belien recruits.

Anything else?

May 15, 2014 at 9:38 am |

Silas Lynch

Now, if his choices would of included his home state schools of UofL and UK and he chose WVU, I'd be more impressed.

May 15, 2014 at 5:25 am |

susanf1218

Well, clearly he isn't the caliber of player that U of L or UK is interested in recruiting.

May 15, 2014 at 8:10 pm |

Ron - from Morgantown

Well we beat two Big East schools to get Bolden. No lie . Seriously , Bolden lives just across the river from Cincinnati and they were not interested in him . Maybe Wvu is just a better judge of talent . Welcome James to Morgantown , hope you stay more than a couple years . If you turn out to be a star ( and the whole WVU community will be rooting for you ) I am sure the local bars will have a potent potable ( Jeopardy) called "beetle juice " in your honor . Sorry you won't get royalties - that's an NCAA violation ( at least until O'bannon wins that little claim against the NCAA starting June 9th ) . Go ahead and play a little AAU if you want but don't pick up any bad habits . In the B12 - you gotta play a little defense - just saying . I could tell you where to get the best pizza in Morgantown , but that would be self serving . Welcome again .

May 15, 2014 at 1:03 am |

Billy

Maybe he can get a neighbor to cuss and berate him this coming year. Sure would be good practice for his future.